Jewish Mystical Autobiographies

Description:Autobiographical works of two important and influential Jewish mystics. In The Book of Visions, Rabbi Hayyim Vital describes his mystical experiences, while in The Book of Secrets, Rabbi Yizhak Isaac Safrin of Komarno recounts incidents in his life and visionary experiences.

Rabbi Hayyim Vital (1542-1620) was the foremost disciple of R. Isaac Luria, one of the most important mystics in 16th century Judaism and founder of the major school of mysticism known as Lurianic kabbalah. Vital was the most influential transmitter of Luria's teachings, and the author of a full-fledged mystical autobiography called The Book of Visions. The second text in this volume, The Book of Secrets, is by Rabbi Yizak Isaac Safrim of Komarno (1806-1874), an important Hasidic master. The Book of Secrets is divided into two parts. The first part, The Book of Visions, modeled on Vital's work, consists of incidents in his life and visionary experiences. The second part, the Deeds of the Lord, contains stories about the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism.